Variable-pitch propeller



y H. E. WEAVER.

VARIABLE FITCH PROPELLER.l

APPucATloN man Aus. 14. 191s.

'Patented Jan.13,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

y 1v1/L lill/lll H. E. WEAVER.

,VARIABLE PITCH PROPELLER.

APPLICATION Hman Aue.14. 191s.

Patented J an. 13, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-INVENTUH H. E. WEAVER.

VARIABLE PlrcH PHOPELVLEH. APPLICATION FILED AUG.14. |918.

Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 INVENTDH H. E. w'EAvER.

VARIABLE FITCH PROPELLER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. I4, 1918.

4. SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTDR mw 5, c

UNITED. sTATEs PATENT oEEicE. 1

I HORACEEUGENE WEAVER, OE BRYAN, OHIO.

`VARIABLEI-PITGI'I PROPELLER.

yTo all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE EUGENE WEAVER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and' a resident of Bryan, in the county of Williams and State ofOhio, have invented a certain new and useful Variable-Pitch Propeller;and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart .to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference,marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This ihvention relates to means for preducing a variable pitch inpropeller-blades used on aeroplanes. In the use of aeroplanes it isdesirable in starting to have the propeller-blades so positioned that4they will have a small pitch and when the machines have raised from theground, to then increase the pitch. The amount of the increase of4pitch,.is, however, variedaccording to the speed that it is desired ytohave the plane make. The object of this invention is to provide inconnection with such a means, a means whereby a change in the pitch ofthe propeller-blades is accomplished automatically by the speed of theengine and in conjunction therewith to provide. a means whereby thepitch may be further varied by the' operation of the pilot. In thisconnec- Ation I have provided a means whereby the control may beperformed entirely by the pilot. A further object of this invention isto provide a means whereby the pitch of the plurality of propellers -maybe controlled both automatically and manually. Further objects andadvantages of the invention will appear from the description and fromthe drawings.

Theinvention may for the purposes of illustration and shall describe theaeroplane selected hereinafter. The construction selected is illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates a sectional-view taken through thehub of the propeller. Fig. 2 illustrates a sectional view taken on line2, 2 indicated in Fig. 1. Fig.

3 is a similar view to that shown in =Fig. 2"

of a modified form of construction. Fig. 4 illustrates part of, aconnecting means whereby the variable pitch of the propeller-bladesSpecification of Letters Batent.

Application -filed. August 14,1918. Serial No.

blade in position.

be contained in dif-- lferent forms of aeroplane construction.. l -haveselected one such form of -constructlon Patented Jan. 13, 1920.`

Eig. 5 inusmayl be controlled manually.

ever forming a trates a side view of the part'of the connecting meansshown in Fig. l

4. Fig. 6 illustrates a top View of the lever shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7illustrates a movable fulcrum also shown in Fig. 5.

r1, Fig. l, indicates the propeller-blades which are shown broken in,order that a large viewl of the hub may be presented.

The propeller-blades 1 are secured in sleeves` 2. The ends of thepropeller-blades secured by the sleeves 2 are provided with a pluralityof cone or frustumal shaped surfaces, the

' larger diameters of which are located nearer to the inner end of thepropeller-blades than the smaller diameters. The sleeve 2 in each caseis formed of three longitudinally cut 4'segments the inner surfaces ofwhich when having a female tapered threaded surface so that when theblade and the sleeve '2 is threaded into the sleeve 5,v the taperedthread of the sleeve 5 will tightly clamp the propeller-blade and thussecurely hold a propeller- The sleeve 2 is locked from rotation withinthe sleeve 5 by means of threaded pins 6 that thread into sleeve 5 andextend through holes formed in sleeve 2.

The blade 1 being provided with frustumal surfaces each of which havethe larger diameter located near the inner end of the blade than thesmaller 4diameter is located,

1 provides a means whereby splitting off of the woo-d will be preventedowing to the large centrifugal force to which the blade is subjectedwhen in use. If the inner end of the propeller-blades were so formedthat the position of the diameters of their'frustumal surfaces. wereyreversed the outward pull of the blade would tend vto cause theshoulders to\ cut or splinterthe blade angularly. in the form shown anymovement of the blade 1 that might possibly occur relative to the sleeve2 would operate to squeeze the inner end of the blade tighter. Thiswould com-- press the wood and increase its resistance to 1in t thesqueezing action to which the wood may be subjected, by reason' of theincreased density that would occur ,owing to the compression of thewood. Also the ymultiple tapered parts permit more sharply inclinedtapered portions over a considerable area than if a single taper wasprovided over the same area.

The inner end of the blade is stepped into the plate 7, and the sleeve 5is threaded on to a flange 8 formed on the plate 7. The blade, itsconnecting sleeves and the plate 7 are secured in the hub of thepropeller.

The hub is provided with two semi-spherical members 68 which are securedtogether by means of rings 9 which are threaded on to tapered ends 10 ofVthe semi-spherical members 68. The spherical members are also securedin position by means of the co'llar 11 which is bolted to the sphericalmembers. The spherical members are also secured by means of bolts 12that pass through flanges 13 and thread into a flange 40 located on theengine shaft. This not only operates to hold the spherical members 68together but also to hold the hub in position on the engine shaft.

The propeller-blade in each case is supported in suitable ball-bearings14 located intern'iediate the sleeve 5 and the hub. Ballbearings 15 arealso provided'to maintain the end thrust of the propeller-blades and isvlocated intermediate a flange 16 formed on the sleeve 5 and a .collar17. The collar 17 is threaded on to the tapered end of' the sphericalhub and is also provided with y blocks 19 set in notches formed in thecollar 17. Threaded ,pins or bolts 18 extend through the collar 17 andpress against the plugs 19 to force the plugs 19 against the sphericalhub.

Rotation of each propeller-blade along its longitudinal axis, that is,about the axis of the sleeves 2 and 5 may be accomplished automatically,as hereinafter described, or may be manually operated by the pilot. Aplate 2() is secured to the plate 7 by means of locking members 21 thathave beveled edges that press against a bevel edge formed on the plate7. The plate 2O is provided with a flange 22 against which one edge ofeach locking member 21 may butt when the locking member 21 is pulledtoward the plate 20 by the threaded pin 23 which threads into the plate20. The plates 7 and consequently the propellers may be adjustedrelative to the plate 20 by rotation of the plates 7 relative to theplate 20, and locked in their adjusted positions. The plates 7 have aflange or inwardlyextending part 24 that sets into an opening formed inthe center of the plate 20 to center the plates. The plates 20 areprovided with enlarged or weighted portions 25 which extend inwardlytoward the plates on which they are located. The

weighted portions are located side by side and on o posite sidesof theaxis of the hub. In the view shown in Fig. 1 a broken-view of the lowerplate 20 is shown in order that the weighted portion of the lower platemay be shown. A link. member 26 is connected to each plate 20 by meansof a pin 27 which is located near the periphery of the plate 20, andabout sixty ldegrees measured angularly from the centerof theweightedportion 25. The links 26 which are connected to the plates 20 at theirremaining ends of the links are lconnected to a yoke 29. The yoke 29 isprovided with shelves 28 which are located on one side of each of thelinks 26 so as to,

hold thelinks 26 against the inner surface of the plates 20, and so asto prevent any movement of the links axes of the pins connectingl thelinks to the plates 20 and to the yokes 29, and yet permits free lateralor rotatedmovements of at right angles to the the links 26. The shelves28 are located at the Jfour corners of the yoke.

Inasmuch as the weighted portions 25 are located on opposite sides ofthe axis of rotation of the hub, the weighted portions tend to rotatethe plates 20 in a direction that will c cause the weighted portions 25to separate.

This will cause the pins 27 to move circularly toward each other.Inasmuch as the links 26 are connected to the yoke 29 by means of thepins 30 they both operate to j pull the yoke 29 toward the engine, thatis, toward the weighted portions of the plates 20.

The yoke 29 is located on4 a barrel or rod' 31. The yoke 29 is providedwith a sleeve portion 32 which guides the yoke 29 in its movement alongthe barrel 31. A spring 33 is located intermediate the yoke 29 and aflange collar 34 that is threaded on to one end of the barrel 31. Thebarrel 31 atv lits outward end is provided with an ex- Y tended-threadedportion 74. The collar 11 is provided with a female thread located in aninwardly extending flange 35 and into which the barrel 31 is threaded;The barrel 31 is passed up through-the collar 11 until the spring 33 isplaced under the desired compression to properly balance the action ofthe weighted portions 25 of 'the plates 20. A threaded sleeve 36 isthreaded on to the threaded portion 74 and operates to lock the barrel31 in the position that it may be placed in adjusting the compressionor" the spring 33. A head 37 may be located in the upper end of thebarrel 31 and keyed thereto' by a suitable pin. This permits readyadjustment of the barrel .31 and consequently, of the spring 33 afterthe hub has been assembled. In the adjustingoperation, the sleeve 36 isreleased and the collar 27 is rotated which rotates the barrel 31 and,when the proper adjustment 1s made, the sleeve 36 is turned so that its4to yieldingly hold the yoke 29 againstthe Until move-` inner end of thefiange 35. ment is compelled by the centrifugal action of the weightedportions 25 of the plates 420.

It will thus be seen that rotation of the blades about theirlongitudinal axes is accomplished by therate of rotation of the bladesabout the aXis of the shaft connected to the engine and by which theyare propelled.` The blades are so adjusted in the hub by the adjustmentof the plates 7 that the pitch of theblade's will be increased by theincreased speed of theengine shaft or the shaft connected to the enginewhich propels the blades.

I have provided means whereby the automatic controlling device may beused either in connection with an engine having a right hand or anengine having alefthand rotation, or when a tractor propeller or a pushpropeller is used. These different conditions may be met by the properconnection between the ends of the yoke 29 with the plates 20. In theform of the construction shown inl Figs. l and 2 the connecting linksare made at the edges of the yoke when the propeller is used as atractor. If on the other hand the connection were such that the pitch fthe Plates were to be controlled by a left hand engine or if thepropeller is a push propeller the' plates 20 would be connected with theother corners of the yoke and the weighted shown in the connectionmadein the illustrations of Fig. 2. The other corners ofthe 4yoke beingthus provided with the shelves 28 and the ends of the pintles extendingbeyond the corner the links can'be connected to e1ther pair of oppositecorners.

varied in their pitch relation by means of rods 86 that'are connected tothe yoke 29, the yoke 29 being provided with inwardly extending lugs 84to which threaded ends of the rods 86 may be secured by means ofsuitable nuts located on opposite sides of the lugs.. The rods 86 maybe' connected to a flange of a sleeve 38, which is made slidably movablealong the shaft 39. lThe shaft 39 which is'connected to the'hub by meansof the bolts 12 and the flanged cup 40 1 operates toV drive the'propeller-blades when the shaft is rotated.` yThe sleeve-38 is emberthreaded onto one end of lthe sleeve- 38.

The ball-bearing mem-ber 41 is connected to a lever 44 having a yoke 45.The pins 42 extend through the sides of the yoke 45 and consequentlywhen the lever 44 is moved about its pivot the sleeve 38 will be shifted.which will shift the rods 36 and consequently move the plates 20 and 7and thus change the pitch of the propeller-blades.

I'The lever 44 is supported on 'an arm 46 -which is mounted on avsuitable part of the fuselage of the aeroplane by means of bracket 47.The link or arm 46 permits lateral movements of the lever 44 which per-.Also the counteracting spring 33 and the means for adjusting the springmay likewise be omitted. The -arrangement 4for manually controlling thepitch of the blades as distinct from automatic and manually controllingthem is illustrated in Fig. '3 wherein the barrel 31 forms `a part ofthe coll-ar 11. In the formshown in Fig. 3 the barrel 54 andtheflange-53 takes the place ,of the collar 11 in the vform illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2. The yoke 29 slides along the barrel 54 inthe same mannerthat it slides along the barrel'31 in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2.-The yoke 29 is connected to the plates 52- by the links 26 in thesamemanner that the yoke 29 is connected to the plates 20- in the form shownin' Figs. 1 and 2.

The same results can be obtained byv merely substituting the plates 52in place` .of the plates 20 and releasing the tension of the springs 33except so far as it may be desirable to hold the' connecting rods andity of blades, a weighted member associated The blades moreover may-bemanuallyl with each blade, means for inter-connecting the weightedmember with its associated r blade for right or' left hand enginerotation or for a tractor or push propeller.

2. In a variable pitch propeller, a hub, a l

pair of blades connected to the hub, a plate located in the hub andhaving a kweighted connecting the plates together and ayielding memberfor resisting the rotation ofthe plates. by reason ofV the centrifugalaction of the weighted segments'.

3. Inl` a, variable pitch propeller,l a hub, a pair of` blades connectedto the hub, a

-plate located fin vthev hub and having a weighted segment and-securedto each blade at right angles to the axis of the blade, the said plateslocated in parallel relation, means for 'connecting the plates togetherand a yielding member for resisting the rotation of the plates by reasonof the centrifugal action of the Weighted segments, a manual meansconnected to the yielding member for manually causing rotation of theplates. l

4:. In a variable pitch propeller, a hub, a pair of blades, a pail' ofplates connected to the blades and located in the hub and havingWeighted segments located .on opposite sides of the aXis of the hubs andin parallel relation to each other, a yoke located between the plates,links connected to the arms of the yokes and the plates, the linkconnecting each plate being located on the side of the aXis of the hubopposite to that on Which the Weight of that plate islocated, a springmember for yieldingly resisting the movement of the yoke by thecentrifugal action of the Weighted portions of the plates. In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

HORACE EUGENE WEAVER`

